Locking mechanism for chair seats



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 QTY/I W i 1 pg \1 M 1 a a a WW June 13, 1961 J. H. HOWER LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS Filed March a, 1958 ATTORNEY I I /&

I N VE N TOR Jamesfifiaz er June 13, 1961 J. H. HOWER 2,988,192

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS Filed March 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [W @Jl; 1

54 145 4V 1% fi 4 Eg 11.. 20 75 'HHTUTTFH A 6 if .67- (1D 55 if if; fi O M 5( 1 IMHIIXIHIHH I Z 46 5/4 3 k A T/ Zn a? 5 I z INVENTOR c ames/X/Zbwer ATTORNEY June 1961 J. H. HOWER 2,988,192

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS Filed March 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 13, 1961 J How 2,988,192

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS Filed March 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR James/2f all/er MM WZ ATTORNEY June 1961 J. H. HOWER 2,988,192

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS Filed March 5, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 254 50c 75d: $1.00

Z 7 Ja' /mesfi/7ozzferg w BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,988,192 LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CHAIR SEATS James H. Hower, 18 Fairway Ave Northfield, N J. Filed Mar. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 718,512 16 Claims. (Cl. 194-69) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a locking mechanism for chair seats in which the chair seat is pivotally mounted for movement from a lower usable position to an upper or non-usable position, said locking mechanism enabling the chair seat to be locked in its upper and non-usable position.

The present invention constitutes an improvement upon the locking mechanism for chair seats disclosed in my prior patent, No. 2,479,361, dated August 16, 1949.

In accordance with the present invention, a coin-operated locking-box is secured to the frame of a chair to engage with a lock block secured to the under surface of a chair seat when the chair seat is in its upper or nonusable position. The locking-box includes a sidewardly projecting pin which engages in a suitable recess in the lock block to permanently secure the seat in its upper and non-usable position until the lock block is released by suitable coin actuation. The invention includes lock structure which prevents the released lock from being relocked by unauthorized persons.

The invention further includes ticket supplying means whereby the person who releases the lock is supplied with a ticket indicating reservation of the seat in question.

The invention further includes lock structure limiting the supply of tickets to a single ticket as well as structure enabling an authorized attendant to extract a single ticket when the chair is not used to permit accounting by the attendant for those chairs which are not occupied.

Various further features are included in the invention. Among these further features is structure enabling the coinage required to release the lock to be altered, whereby the lock can be set for release by various predetermined coins or combinations of coins. Also, the invention includes lock structure which retains the coins within the lock while preventing unauthorized release of the lock and the coins, while still permitting removal of the deposited coins from the lock by the authorized attendant.

The above as well as other and further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the invention which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an illustrative chair constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the illustrative chair construction shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the locking box in perspective with the lock block in its locked position;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front views of the locking box housing and locking box cover, respectively, these parts being opened with the inner surfaces thereof being exposed to view;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 66 of FIG. 5 and shows the details of operation of the pivoted operating lever;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 on an enlarged scale and shows the operating lever in its released position with the locking pin being retracted into a chair seatfreeing position;

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of FIG. 6 and shows, on an enlarged scale, the locking pin in its projected position locking with the lock block;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 5 through the slide mechanism, which locks the locking box cover to the locking box housing; 1

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and shows the 2,988,192 Patented June 13, 1961 "same parts after the attendant-operated lock has been operated to release the cover from the housing;

FIG. 11 is a section taken on line 1111 of FIG. 5 which shows the actuation of the slide plate by the attendant-operated key;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on line 1212 of FIG. 10 and shows the details of operation of the attendantoperated ticket ejector mechanism as well as the ticket ejector mechanism itself;

FIG. 13 is a section taken on line 13-43 of FIG. 12 and shows the details of the interconnection between the ejector slide plate and the lever which operates this plate;

FIG. 14 illustrates a suitable ticket which may be discharged through the slit in the locking box; 7 7

FIG. 15 is an exploded view showing in perspective the interrelationship of the various parts which function in the lock release, ticket injecting and lock reengaging "cycle;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the complete cam disc operated member which carries the locking pin which is shown in FIG. 15; 7

FIG. 17 is a partial section showing the lower portion of the coin chute and the upper portion of the locking block, this figure illustrating a coin in deposited position prior to release of the lock block; I

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17 but showing the coin chute depressed to release the lock and free the lock block;

FIG. 19 is a section taken on line 19-19 of FIG. 17 and shows a plurality of coin operated levers;

FIG. 20 illustrates various slotted plates which may be employed in various combinations so that the lock will operate to release the chair seat when proper predetermined coinage is inserted in the coin chute;

In FIGS. 21, 22 and 23, various parts of the coin chute are illustrated, the coin chute being opened with the opened cover part being shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 by front elevation looking at the inside of the parts and with the inner partition member being removed from the chute and shown in front elevation in FIG. 23, said partition being normally interposed between the cover members of the coin chute which are shown in FIGS. 21 and 22;

FIG. 24 is a vertical cross-section taken through the assembled coin chute;

FIG. 25 is a section taken on line 25-25 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a section taken online 26-26 of FIG. 24;

FIG. 27 is an enlarged view illustrating the lever positioning which prevents premature discharge of the coins employed to operate the lock;

FIG. 28 is a side elevation of the coin chute illustrating the coin receiving and coin retaining structure;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing a further detail of the coin retaining mechamsm;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the coin directing flap which is positioned in the coin chute 97; 7

FIG. 31 is a partial cross-section on an enlarged scale showing the mounting of the coin directing flap on the side wall of the coin chute; I

FIG. 32 illustrates various stop members used to stop the coins which areintended to operate the lock; and w FIG. 33 is a partial cross-section taken on line 33 33 of Fig. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 10 designates a chair constructed and equipped in accordance with the invention. The chair 10 comprises side frames 11 interconnected by slats 12 which form a chair back 13; Pivotally secured as by pin 14 and bracket 15 to I the chair side frames 11 are a pair of chair seat supports 16, there being slats 17 secured to the seat supports 16 to form a chair seat 18 which is pivoted to move into the raised and non-usable position illustrated.

Secured to one of the side frames 11 of the chair in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter is a coin-operated locking box 19 having a locking pin 20 which projects sidewardly toward the chair seat 18. A lock block 21 is carried by the chair seat 18 and preferably by the support 16 thereof and is positioned to move, when the seat 18 is raised, against the locking box 19 to cause locking engagement of locking pin 20 with a recess 22 in the side of the lock block 21.

With reference also to FIG. 3, the locking box. 19 includes a coin chute 23, a coin discharge opening 24, a ticket discharge slot 25, a ticket discharging button 26, a frame engaging channel 27, and a lock box receiving plate 28. FIG. 3 shows the lock box 19 and its securement to the chair seat support 16 and also a part of the side frame 11 in secured position in the channel 27. As can be seen, the lock block 21 is formed in two secured-together pieces which engage an enlarged head 29 on the chair seat support 16. The locking box is formed of cover members locked together by the attendant-operated lock 30 which is key actuated.

The cover members of locking box 19 are shown in open position in FIGS. 4 and 5, FIG. 4 showing the inside of the locking box housing 31, and FIG. 5 showing the inside of the locking box cover 32. Referring more particularly to the locking box housing 31, there is an inwardly projecting pin 33 which is circumferentially recessed as indicated at 34. There are also staggered guide pins 35 and a tongue receiving slot 36. The housing 31 includes a slide portion 37 having threaded openings 38 communicating with the interior frame receiving channel 27 to be later described. The openings 38 contain threaded pins 39 which may be manipulated only when the cover 32 is removed from the housing 31.

Referring to cover 32, operation of the key lock 30 rotates a cam disc which vertically reciprocates slide 40. The upper portion of slide 40 is formed with bayonet slot 41 which releasably engages recess 34 of pin 33. The lower portion of slide 40 is formed with downwardly projecting tongue 42. Slide 40 moves vertically in a groove 40' formed in the locking box cover 32 as shown in FIG. 33. The cover 32 has guiding recesses 43.

When cover 32 is placed in closing position against housing 31, guide pins 35 enter recesses 43, pin 33 enters recess 40 and a circular recess in cover 32, and operation of key lock 30 moves slide 40 downwardly to engage bayonet slot 41 with recess 34 and tongue 42 with slot 36.

Secured to the cover 32 is the coin chute 23, the locking pin release mechanism 44 and the ticket ejecting mechanism 45.

The coin chute 23 is reciprocally secured to the upper portion of the cover 32 by means of pin 47 which extends into a cylindrical recess 48 in the bottom of the coin chute 23. Spring 49 in recess 48 biases the coin chute 23 upwardly. The interior of the cover 32 may be grooved to facilitate guiding of the coin chute 23.

A stop member 84, the function of which will be described later, is positioned as shown in FIG. 5. When the cover 32 and housing 31 are assembled, the stop surface 86 will prevent the stop member 84 from being forced upwardly by the coins used to operate the lock.

The locking pin release mechanism 44 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8.

In FIG. 6, the locking pin 20 is projected into locking position by the pivotally mounted operating lever 50 which is held against the pressure of spring 51 in locking pin projecting position by slotted plates 52 which are movable vertically into the position shown in FIG. 7 to free the operating lever 50 and thereby permit spring 51 to move the same (via washer 53 )and retract the absence I 4 locking pin 20 into the cylindrical base 54. lever 50 is pivotal about pivot 55.

Fixed to the operating lever 50 by leaf spring 56 is a pivotally mounted ticket ejecting lever 57 which is pivoted at 58. Thus, a ticket ejecting action is coupled with the retraction of locking pin 20 by removal of locking pin 20 from recess 22 in the lock block 31.

The ticket ejecting button 26 is normally held inoperative so that only the attendant can use the same to eject a ticket from the locks of those seats which have not been used. In FIG. 9, the cover 32 is locked to the housing 31 and it will be seen that slide 40 blocks the shouldered base 59 in which the ticket ejecting button 26 is positioned. Thus, button 26 cannot be used when slide 40 is in locking position.

When slide 40 is raisedinto unlocking position, as in FIG. 10, the base 59 is unblocked and button 26 can be operated by the attendant.

Comparing FIGS. 9 and 10, it will be seen that button 26 is'in the path of the ticket ejecting lever 57 to operate the same when the slide 40 is moved to cause cut-out portion 60 thereof to overlie the base 59 of button 26, whereby the lever 57 may be moved against the pressure of .leaf spring '56 which returns button 26 to its projected position out of the path of slide 40.

In FIGS. 9 and 10, the locking action of slide 40 via bayonet slot 41 with recess 34 of pin 33 and via tongue 42 with slot 36 is clearly seen. The abutting surfaces of lock block receiving plate 28 are here iden- Operating .tified as sloped surface 61 and abutment 62.

FIG. 11 shows the attendant-operated key lock 30, the cam 63 which is rotated by key operation of the lock and the lower portion 64 of slide 40 containing inner transverse recess 65 which engaes with cam 63 to permit slide 40 to be raised and lowered.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the construction of the attendant-operated ticket ejector mechanism. As can be seen, an ejector slide plate 66 is mounted for sliding movement transversely across a ticket supporting platform 67. Slide plate 66 has a downwardly depending projecting lug 68 at the rear thereof which engages longitudinal slot 69 in ticket ejecting lever 57. The tickets are stacked as shown in FIG. 13 and ejected one at a time. The tickets are identified by numeral 70 and pictured in FIG. 14. The rear of the slide plate 66 is provided with an upstanding ticket engaging flange 66'. The rear of slide 66 is preferably recessed into a recess 66" in the housing 31 as shown in FIG. 13. Small lugs 66" are optionally formed in the slide 66 to accommodate punched tickets (note holes 70 in tickets 70 in FIG. 14).

FIG. 12 also shows the securement of the locking box 19 to the side frame 11 of the chair. As can be seen, the side frame 11 comprises a web 11, an outer flange 11" and an inner narrow flange 11', the flange 11" being preferably wider than the channel 27 and the flange 11' being narrower than the channel 27. The channel 27 is enlarged at its inner end as indicated by numeral 27'.

To secure the locking box 19 to the chair, the housing 31 is positioned so that flange 11" is fully inserted within channel 27. Threaded pins 39 are then tightened to force flange 11" into the enlargement 27 of channel 27. The cover 32 is then locked into place and the locking box 19 cannot be removed.

The operation of the locking mechanism will be more fully understood in conjunction with the following description of FIGS. 15 and 16.

The upper end of operating lever 50, which is resiliently biased to the right, is formed with finger 71 which fits within opening 72 of plate 73 whereby the plate 73 is also biased toward the right. Normally, when locking pin 20 is projected (FIG. 6), the plate 73 abuts the blocking surface 74 of one of the slotted plates 52, thus preventing retraction of locking pin 20. The plates 52 are provided with marginal slots 75 in the blocking surface 74 thereof. When the plates 52 are vertically displaced :to cause .all of the slots 75 to be adjacent the plate 73, the plate 73 is free to move laterally to permit spring 51 to retract locking pin 20 (FIG. 7).

7 Movement of plates 52 is enacted by coin-operated levers, one of which is shown in FIG. 15 (lever 76). A Single plate 52 and lever 76 are sufiicient when single coin actuation is desired. However, a feature of the invention is to permit one or more of a plurality of coins to operate the lock as predetermined in advance in the assembly of the lock.

Thus, means are provided, e.g., elongated slots 77, to permit pin 78 on the end of lever 76 to extend through one or more of the plates 52 to operate plates 52 remote from the lever 76. The pin 78 is to interengage with a suitable opening or recess in the plate 52, e.g., one of the cylindrical holes 79 or the recess 80. The action of pins 77 on the plate 52 is more fully shown in FIGS. 17, 18 and 19.

In order to return the operating lever 56 from locking pin retracting position (FIG. 7) to locking pin projecting position (FIG. 6), it is necessary to pivot lever 50 against the pressure of spring 51. It is a feature of the invention that the necessary pivoting of lever is effected automatically when the operator unlocks the locking box by raising slide 40 through the action of cam 63 or recess 65 in the lower portion 64 of slide 40.

To this end, the inside of lever 56 is formed with a cam surface 81 and the lower portion 64 of slide 40 is formed with a sidewardly projecting finger 82. The exact position of finger 82 is shown in FIG. 7 where it will be clear that upward movement of finger 82 will cause engagement with cam surface 81 to move plate 73 out of slot 75. With plate 73 removed from slot 75, the plates 52' are free to be moved downwardly to free levers '76 and thereby release the coin which has been deposited. Until finger 82 is operated to move lever 50, the levers 76 are frozen in their pivoted position and the coin will not be released.

FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 illustrate the action of the coin or coins which, upon downward movement of the coin chute 23, function to pivot the levers 76 about their pivots 83 to raise the plates 52 to free the operating lever 50 and retract the locking pin 20 to free the lockblock 21 and thereby release the chair seat 18.

In FIG. 17, the coin C is shown inserted in the coin chute 23, the coin being trapped between stop member 84 which is slidingly deposed in channel 85 and which is kept from falling through the channel 85 by the flange '86. The stop member 84 is prevented from being forced upwardly by coi-n C by stop surface 86' (see FIG. 4). Stop surface $6 is shown in phantom in FIG. 17. At the bottom of each coin receiving channel 87 is a pivotally mounted lever {53 having a downwardly depending extension 39 which is adapted to engage one of the levers 76. Lever 88 is shown pivoted at 89'. The vertical reciprocatory mount of coin chute 23 is clearly shown in FIG. 17 on an enlarged scale (note pin 47, cylindrical recess 48, and spring 49).

As will be evident in FIG. 17, the coin C becomes jammed between stop 84 and lever 88 so that it can not, at this point, be withdrawn from the coin chute 23. It will also be noted that there is a small space between the bottom of extension 89 and levers 76, the distance being held to a maximum by the heel 90 which projects below the free end of levers 76. Reference is made to FIG. 27 which shows a platform 90 which limits the downward movement .of lever 88. In operation, the coin chute 23 with coin C therein is depressed against the action of spring 49, the coin C limiting up- .ward movementof the lever 88 down so that extension 89 .of lever 88 will pivot lever 76 to raise the plates 52 as indicated in FIG. 18.

A further important feature to be observed in FIG. 18

is the fact that when chute 23 is moved downwardly, the flange 86 is engaged by ledge 91 to remove stop member 84 from the path of the coin C. During this same downward movement of chute 23, the forward end of lever 88 is moved upwardly with respect to coin chute 23 to catch the coin C between the elevated lever 88 and the overhead abutment 92. It will be noted that the coin C has moved forwardly so that the stop member 84 can no longer prevent release of the coin C to the discharge outlet 24 even if the ledge 91 were removed.

The action of a plurality of levers 76 upon a plurality of plates 52 may also be seen in the cross-section shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 20 discloses a plurality of diiferent plates 52, which are selected in accordance with whether the locking box is to be released upon the deposition of one or several coins.

As will be appreciated, the plates 52 are selected (either one or several) as desired; the selection will be variable depending upon the management and/or the location of the chairs, some positions in the stands (or an arena) being more desirable than others.

Coins of improper value (size) either can not be inserted because they are too large, or, if too small, they will not be caught by the stop member 84, and. are automatically ejected through the coin discharge opening 24 via the inclined discharge slide 93. Unless a proper coin is present at the bottom of the coin channel 87, the lever 88 will be free to pivot and depression of coin chute 23 will fail to move the levers 76. Accordingly, the operating lever 50 is not freed to unlock the chair until the coin chute 23 is depressed with suitable coinage deposited therein.

In FIG. 19, let us assume the presence of three coin receiving positions (A, B and C) with one of these positions corresponding with levers 76A, 76B and 76C. If positions A and B are each to receive a 25 cent coin, and C a 50 cent coin, then the following variations may be made using various combinations of plates 52 in FIG. 20, said plates being identified as plates Nos. l-6, inclusive.

Plates used in Total Colnage Required to Operate Named Order Total Thick- Lock Starting with ness of Plates Plate Nearest Lever 76 12-3 f32 1-4 is: 35 362 6 2 Plates Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are each inch thick, plates 4 and 5 are V inch thick and plate No. 6 is i inch thick.

Referring particularly to the plate combination of plates Nos. 3 and 5 used to operate the lock upon insertion of a total coinage of 50 cents, it is intended that the lock operate upon insertion of either two quarters or a single half dollar. When a single half dollar is inserted, lever 76C is operated by the coin to lift plate No. 5. It will be noted that slot 79' in plate No. 5 is shortened at its lower end so that the lifting of plate No. 5 will pivot lever 76A which enters hole 79 in plate No. 3 whereby both plates Nos. 3 and 5 are raised by the insertion of a half dollar followed by depression of coin chute 23. When two quarters are used, levers 76A and 76B are operated, lever 76A lifting plate No. 3 and lever 76B lifting plate No. 5. If only a single quarter is inserted plate No. 5 will not move and the lock will not be released since lever 50 will not be free for movement.

To block the necessary coin positions with the stop member 84 different block members must be used depending on the coinage required. Thus, and with the plate arrangement set forth above, the following positions must be blocked:

The details of an illustrative coin chute 23 adapted to receive 3 coins with two coin channels are illustrated in FIGS. 21-31 where it will be seen that the chute 23 comprises a pair of side walls 94 and 95 and an intermediate partition 96. Side wall 94 defines a coin channel 97 and side wall 95 defines a coin channel 87 (see FIG. 17). The positioning of stop members 34 is clearly showns in FIGS. 21 and 22, and more clearly in FIG. 29, the action of these members having already been described.

As can be seen in FIG. 24, side walls 94 and 95 are secured together by screws 98 and the partition 96 is trapped therebetween. Pivotally hung on the wall 94 is a flap 99 which is suspended by cars 100 which are mounted on the wall 94 by slots 101. The flap 99 is shown in FIG. 25 and in perspective in FIG. 30 and its mounting in apertures 102 of wall 97 is shown in FIG. 31.

When the first coin is deposited in coin channel 97, the coin is directed to the left in FIG. 24 to pivot the flap 99 which remains pivoted because of the presence of the coin as shown in FIG. 21. A second coin deposited in channel 97 is, therefore, directed to the center adjacent partition 96. The three-way division at the bottom of coin chute 23 is shown in FIG. 26 where coin channel 97 is shown divided into two sub-channels 97A and 9713 by partition 103.

The flap 99 is preferably formed with a coin guiding tab 104 at the lower end thereof and the side wall 94 is recessed as at 105 to provide sufiioient space for coin channel 97A.

The various levers 76 are preferably mounted at the same elevation and the lower edge of the abutment 92 is varied as can be seen in FIG. 28 depending upon the size of coin which is to be deposited in the coin channel. The bottom of the various coin channels 87, 97A and 97B are sloped as can be seen in FIGS. 21 and 22 so that each differently sized coin is discharged at about the same level on to the coin discharge slide 93 (FIG. 17).

The stop member 84 and the manner in which this member normally extends downwardly beyond the lower edge of abutment 92 partially obstructs the bottom of the coin passageways 87, 97A and 97B as shown in the front elevation of FIG. 28.

FIG. 32 shows the rear of various stop members 84 which may be selected to provide operation of the locking box by the deposition of any predetermined total value of coinage. The shaded portions 106 of the bottom of the stop members 84 designate those portions which are exposed beyond the lower edge of abutment 92 when the flange 86 is not lifted by ledge 91. The total coin values are identified beneath each of the stop members in FIG. 32.

In operation and starting with seat 18 locked in nonusable position as shown in FIG. 1, coins C are deposited in coin channel 87 and 97 to freeze the levers 88 by interposition of the coins between stop members 84 and 92 and the levers 88. Oversize coins can not enter the coin channels and undersize coins are not stopped and pass through to coin discharge 24. With reference to FIG. 32, where there is no shaded portion 106 extending below the abutment 92, coins are not stopped but are automatically discharged.

After deposition of proper coinage, coin chute 23 is depressed against the pressure of spring 49. When this is done, the frozen levers 88 depress levers 76 to raise plates 52to shiftthe stop surfaces 74 thereof until the marginal slots 75 are opposite plate 73 which moves with the operating lever 50. With coin chute 23 depressed, stop member 84 is raised out of the path of the coins C by ledge 91 acting .against flange 86 and the coins move until engaged by abutment 92 which is enabled because the levers 76 have forced the levers 88 to move upwardly to narrow the coin channels.

The spring 51 now pivots the operating lever 50 which performs several functions as follows:

(1) Locking pin 20 is retracted to free the lock block 21 and the chair seat 18 attached thereto;

(2) Plate 73 moves into slot 75 which freezes plates 52 and levers 76 so that pin 20 can not be permanently projected by a prankster;

(3) Frozen plates 52 freeze the levers 76 in the position shown in FIG. 18 and the coin chute 23 is locked by heel in depressed position so that coins C can not be discharged by unauthorized persons.

(4) Lever 57 is pivoted to move ejector 66 to discharge the lowermost ticket 70 of a stack of tickets through the narrow slot 25;

The seat is now free and its occupant is provided with a ticket indicating his right to use the same. The seat can not be locked except by the attendant and the coins are safely stored in chute 23.

Later, the attendant unlocks cover 32 using key lock 30. This rotates cam 63 which raises slide 40 with its lower portion 64.

If the seat has not been used, button 26 is free to move the ejector 66 whereby the attendant will receive a properly dated ticket to enable him to account for the seat not having been used.

If the seat has been used, finger 82 will act on cam surface 81 to remove plate 73 from slots 75 in plates 52. This frees the plates 52 and the levers 76 and spring 49 throws coin chute 23 upwardly. At the same time, release of levers 76 removes the pressure on the coins C exerted by levers 76 and abutment 92 and this frees the coins C which roll out by gravity. The coins C leave the coin chute 23 before the coin chute can be fully elevated. As the chute moves upwardly beyond the coinejecting position, the surface 86 engages the flange 86 of stop member 84 to lower the same in the chute 23 to restore the position shown in FIG. 17.

Movement of operating lever 50 by finger 82 also resets ejector 66 via the spring connection 56 and the lever 57.

The cover 32 need not be removed by the attendant unless repair is needed. If seat 1 8 is elevated when key lock 30 is operated (first to unlocking position and then back to lock position) the coins are discharged and the seat is locked ready for the next occupant. The coins are collected by the attendant from discharge opening 24.

The invention is defined in the claims which follow:

1. A chair comprising a side frame and a seat pivotally mounted for movement between a lower usable position and an upper non-usable position; a locking mechanism secured to said side frame, said locking mechanism including a retractable locking pin projecting inwardly from said side frame toward said chair seat; a lock block sccured to said seat and having a recess facing said side frame for receiving said projected locking pin, and coinactuated means for retracting said locking pin to free said lock block to permit said seat to be lowered to a usable position, said locking mechanism including an operating lever connected to said locking pin; spring means biasing said locking lever into locking pin retracted position, blocking means interposed in the path of said operating lever to hold said lever in locking pin projecting position against the pressure of said spring, coin-operated means for removing said blocking means, said locking mechanism further including a slot for the discharge of tickets and means operated by said operating lever for ejecting a ticket simultaneously with retraction of .said locking pin, said ticket ejecting means including a ticket ejecting lever held to said operating lever'by springmeans and button means for moving said ticket ejecting means against the pressure of said spring and independent of said operating lever to eject a ticket.

2. A chair as recited in claim 1, in which said locking mechanism comprises a housing and a cover releasably locked thereto, means blocking said button means when said cover is locked to said housing and means for unlockingsaid cover from said housing and simultaneously unblocking said button means.

3. A chair as recited in claim 2, in which said cover is locked to said housing by means of a slide which is reciprocable along its length between a cover locking position and a cover releasing position; key-operated means for moving said slide, said slide blocking said button means in said cover locking position'and unblocking said button means in said cover releasing position.

4. A chair comprising a side frame and a seat pivotally mounted for movement between a lower usable position and an upper non-usable position; a locking mechanism secured to said side frame, said locking mechanism including a retractable locking pin projecting inwardly from said side frame toward said chair seat; a lock block secured to said seat and having a recess facing said side frame for receiving said projected locking pin, and coinactuated means for retracting said locking pin to free said lock block to permit said seat to be lowered to a usable position, said locking mechanism including an operating lever connected to said locking pin; spring means basing said locking lever into locking pin retracted position, blocking means interposed in the path of said operating lever to hold said lever in locking pin projecting position against the pressure of said spring, coin-operated means for removing said blocking means, said blocking means comprising at least one plate having a stop surface in the path of said operating lever and a marginal slot in said stop surface, said stop surface blocking movement of said operating lever into locking pin retracted position; said coin operated means vertically moving said plate to align said slot with the portion of said operating lever engaging said stop surface to free said operating lever and permit movement thereof by said spring.

5. A chair as recited in claim 4, in which said locking mechanism includes a coin chute mounted for reciprocating movement along the length thereof, lever means at the bottom of said coin chute, lever means in the path of said last named lever means for moving said plates, said lever means at the bottom of said coin chute being free in the absence of a coin and being therefore incapable of moving said plate moving lever means, said coin chute including abutment means, opposite said lever means at the bottom of said coin chute whereby a coin is trapped between said abutment means and the lever means opposite the same whereby said lever means at the bottom of said coin chute is rendered immobile so that depression of said coin chute operates said plate moving lever means to position said plate in operating lever freeing position.

6. A coin-operated locking box adapted for securement to the side frame of a chair for releasably holding a chair seat in an upper non-usable position, comprising a housing and a cover releasably secured thereto, means on said housing for securing the same to said side frame, a locking mechanism secured to the inner side of said cover, said locking means comprising a locking pin movable between a projected position extending through said cover for locking said chair seat and a retracted position for freeing said chair seat; an operating lever secured to said locking pin; spring means biasing said operating lever into locking pin retracting position; first plate means movable with said operating lever, at least one vertical plate having a stop surface positioned in the path of said first plate means and preventing movement thereof; lever means for moving said vertical plate laterally of said first plate means to remove said stop surface from the path of said first plate means and a depressible coin chute having free levers which are rendered immobile by the presence of a coin for actuating said lever, and means for moving said vertical plate and thereby free said operating lever.

7. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 6, in which said housing is formed with a marginal channel for receiving said side frame, said channel being enlarged at its inner end and screw means extending through said housing into said channel for forcing a portion of said side frame into said enlarged inner end, said. screw means being covered by said cover when said cover is locked to said housing.

8. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 6, in which said locking mechanism includes ejector means operated by said operating lever for ejecting a ticket through a slot in said locking box.

9. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 6, in which said cover is locked to said housing by means of a slide which is reciprocal along its length between a cover locking position and a cover releasing position; button means for ejecting a ticket through a slot in said locking box independently of the position of said operating lever, said button means being normally blocked by said slide when said slide is in its cover locking position and being free of said slide to enable ejection of a ticket when said slide is in its cover releasing position.

10. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 6, in which said coin chute includes a movable stop member and at least one coin channel, said stop member normally covering a portion of said coin channel to retain properly sized coins within said channel; ledge means on said locking box to remove said stop member from said normal position when said coin chute is depressed into a position in which said coin channel is unobstructed by said stop member, abutment means adjacent said stop member, said free levers being positioned at the bottom of said. coin channel and being movable into said coin channel to prevent removal of said coins therefrom because of the reduced spacing between said free levers and said abutment means.

11. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 10, in which said chute includes a heel underlying said lever means for moving said vertical plate, whereby said coin chute can not be raised when said operating lever is moved to retract said locking pin.

12. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 11, in which a plurality of coin channels are present in said coin chute, each of said coin channels being provided with a separate free lever at the bottom thereof; a plurality of vertical plates, separate lever means for moving each of said vertical plates, each of said vertical plates having a vertical stop surface and a slot therein, and a marginal slot therein, said vertical plates with the exception of the vertical plate closest said vertical plate moving levers having vertical slots therein, whereby said vertical plates remote from said levers may be interconnected with said levers, whereby said vertical plates may be selected to vary the coinage required to operate said locking box.

13. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 9, in which said slide includes a sidewardly projecting finger positioned to engage a cam surface on said operating lever, whereby longitudinal movement of said cover locking position to said cover releasing position pivots said operating lever to project said locking pin and to free said vertical plates for vertical movement.

14-. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 9, in which said ticket ejecting mechanism includes a ticket ejecting lever held to said operati. g lever by means of a lear spring, whereby said ticket ejecting lever moves with said operating lever to eject a ticket upon retraction of said locking pin and whereby said ticket ejecting lever may be moved independently of said lever when said operating lever is in position to project said locking pin.

15. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 1 1 9, in which said slide includes an upper portion having a bayonet slot therein and a lower portion comprising a downwardly projecting tongue and a recess, a pin mounted on the interior of said housing and having a circumferential recess thereon for receiving said bayonet slot, a slot in said housing for receiving said tongue, and key-operated cam means disposed in said recess whereby rotation of said cam means will vertically reciprocate said slide.

16. A coin-operated locking box as recited in claim 1 in which an operating lever is secured to said locking pin; spring means biasing said operating lever into locking pin retracting position; means holding said operating lever in locking pin projected position; said coin-operating means functioning to free said operating lever; and

said key-operated means carrying cam means acting upon said operating lever to move the same into locking pin projecting position while simultaneously freeing said cover from said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,135 Everitt Nov. 15, 1887 481,816 Perry Aug. 30, 1892 500,783 Tonkin July 4, 1893 592,558 Behlow Oct. 26, 1897 1,175,795 Naffin Mar. 14, 1916 1,308,333 Choma July 1, 1919 2,070,445 Miller Feb. 9, 1937 

